But you assume in
rather an off-hand way that I think you a prize."
"You've been very kind to me," said the young man. "That's why I
came."
"I'm always kind to people who have good Louis Quatorze. It's very
rare now, and there's no telling what one may get by it." With which
the left-hand corner of Madame Merle's mouth gave expression to the
joke.
But he looked, in spite of it, literally apprehensive and
consistently strenuous. "Ah, I thought you liked me for myself!"
"I like you very much; but, if you please, we won't analyze.
Pardon me if I seem patronizing, but I think you a perfect little
gentleman. I must tell you, however, that I've not the marrying of
Pansy Osmond."
"I didn't suppose that. But you've seemed to me intimate with her
family, and I thought you might have influence."
Madame Merle considered. "Whom do you call her family?"
"Why, her father; and-how do you say it in English?-her bellemere."
"Mr. Osmond's her father, certainly; but his wife can scarcely be
termed a member of her family. Mrs. Osmond has nothing to do with
marrying her." "I'm sorry for that," said Rosier with an amiable
sigh of good faith.
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